NHL Game Viewership On Versus Up 19% To Start '09-10 Season

Versus is averaging 313,000 viewers through its first eight NHL game telecasts this season, up 18.6% from 264,000 viewers through the first eight games last year. This season's telecasts on the net began with two primetime games in the U.S. on October 1 which averaged 417,000 viewers. Last year's season began with two Sunday afternoon telecasts of games being held in Europe, which averaged 112,000 viewers. This year's Europe games were played on a Friday afternoon (October 2), averaging 189,000 viewers. The Capitals-Bruins season-opening telecast averaged 501,000 viewers. For the '08-09 season, only three telecasts on Versus topped a half-million viewers.

'09-10 NHL RATINGS, VIEWERSHIP ON VERSUS TO DATE

DATE

GAME

CABLE RATING

VIEWERS (000)

10/1

Capitals-Bruins

0.5

501

10/1

Sharks-Avalanche

0.4

332

10/2

Panthers-Blackhawks*

0.1

100

10/2

Blues-Red Wings**

0.3

278

10/5

Rangers-Devils

0.3

269

10/6

Capitals-Flyers

0.4

405

10/12

Flames-Blackhawks

0.2

177

10/13

Red Wings-Sabres

0.5

467

NOTES: * = Game was played in Helsinki, Finland. ** = Game was played in Stockholm, Sweden.